According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 236,968 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States in 2014, and (not counting some types of skin cancer) breast cancer in the U.S. is the most common cause of cancer in women – across all races and ethnicities. It is also the leading cause of death from cancer, among Latina women. Like so many others I know, breast cancer has impacted my family profoundly and the trajectory of my loved ones. That’s why it’s important for me to join in sharing the Not One Type campaign, merging messages from a trifecta of champions – Genentech, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and ThirdLove.

I recently joined New Yorkers in exploring the Not One Type Studio – a SoHo pop-up experience, encouraging women and their loved ones to take a closer look at breast cancer. Upon stepping into the ThirdLove Studio, women curious about bra shopping were visually halted by ThirdLove’s bra installation – challenging prevalent breast cancer misconceptions – with uniformed rows of suspended bras that were only one size, and only one color. Just like ThirdLove creates uniquely tailored bras to a women’s specific size, shape and color preference – Not One Type is sharing information about the ways in which breast cancer is a very complex and not-one-size-fits-all disease.

The Not One Type website explains how breast cancer is classified into different types – determined by the unique characteristics of each tumor, including subtype, lymph node status and stage, among other criteria. Understanding the uniqueness of each diagnosis helps to empower women and their loved ones to engage in helpful conversations and make more informed treatment decisions with their providers.

I know first-hand that family and friends often step in as patient advocates – and according to Not One Type, women facing the early stages of breast cancer rely on three or more people to help them process treatment options. An incredibly valuable tool on the Not One Type website is a checklist of questions to help women facing this diagnosis and their supporters be as well-informed as possible in conversations with doctors.

In addition to all of the visual messaging, a lovely tribute wall, “boobie pins” in all shapes and sizes, and ThirdLove discount cards – the campaign’s spokeswomen Giuliana Rancic was on hand leading the discussion with women currently living with breast cancer as well as drawing from her personal experience. According to Giuliana “understanding your unique diagnosis is critical to receiving the right treatment for you. And it’s not just important for those diagnosed to know about the different types, but for those who love them.”

Armed with new-to-me facts and insight, I’m grateful that I can now help better support a loved one. Have a look around notonetype.org, I’m sure you’ll learn something too.

Have you heard the buzz about the Google Pixelbook? The new high-performance Chromebook and Pixelbook Pen (the smart, responsive stylus, sold separately) are designed to elevate the way you work and play. This is the very first laptop with the Google Assistant built in, allowing users to get things done quickly and efficiently!

Here are a few things we love:

Ultra Sleek Compact Design + Chrome OS Power

With a huge step away from a bulky, cumbersome, laptop design – the ultra-thin Pixelbook (at 10.3mm thin!) is incredibly versatile while seamlessly fitting into an on-the-go lifestyle. And with Chrome OS power, you’ll always have the latest security and software features that automatically update in the background.

Google Assitant Capabilities

Pixelbook is the first laptop with the Google Assistant built in. Acess is via the Google Assistant key on the keyboard, or simply saying the “Ok Google” prompt. You can even utilize Google Assitant with Pixelbook Pen by just pressing and holding the button, and then taping the pen on Pixelbook’s screen to get help from your Assistant.

Sleek and Versatile Design

Along with being Google’s thinnest laptop ever, the 360° touchscreen and versatile 4-in-1 design allow for endless possibilities. You can sketch or edit photos and work with GSuite apps that Drive automatically backs up, and enjoy on-or-offline access to movies and TV shows with apps like Google Play Movies, YouTube Red and more. Also, this device starts up in under ten seconds, performs quickly, and has a fast-charging, all-day battery with up to ten hours of power from a single charge.

Today is the last day to save $100! Take advantage of this offer here!

Check out our yummy healthy green smoothie recipe to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with the kids! Thanks to our partner Maple Hill – America’s original 100% grass-fed dairy producers for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Over the years, my kids have shown me that it’s the little things commemorating the special dates and holidays that mean the most to them. Their excitement over a simple banner on the mantle, handmade decorations or a themed recipe will always make me incredibly happy. That said, I was in great need of upping my game for Saint Patrick’s Day this year – ever since my son came home from school last March wanting to know why he’d been deprived of setting “leprechaun traps” in our home. While I may not ever be the leprechaun-trap-making kind of mom, I can make a mean kiddo-approved green smoothie. And if I can get kale, spinach, Maple Hill Organic Grass-Fed Yogurt and more into my kiddos before they’re out the door for school in the morning – than that’s a win for us all!

Smoothies are a breeze, especially when you’re looking for something easy and healthy. And our Saint Patrick’s Day smoothie recipe is catered to please the kiddos:

One of the best things about adding greens to smoothies is that they don’t add a lot of flavor. The combination of banana, frozen mango and pineapple help to add just enough sweetness to make my kids gulp away. Although we also make this smoothie with Maple Hill’s Organic Milk – the Maple Hill’s Organic Whole Milk Yogurt gives this specific recipe a deliciously creamy texture and taste. Not only are Maple Hill’s products grass-fed, but they’re certified USDA and PCO organic, and GMO-free. You’ll taste the difference as soon as you try Maple Hill.

Along with all the vitamins and nutrients from the organic greens and fruits – I’m happy that my kids are getting solid protein and more from Maple Hill Yogurt. Maple Hill’s products are 100% grass-fed – and milk from grass-fed cows (versus those that consume a grain-based diet) is higher in essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fat – with a whole host of great health benefits known to reduce inflammation in the body and more. Their grass-fed milk has double the omega-3 fat content as conventional milk. It’s always the right choice for my family.

If your kiddos happen to be resistant to drinking their greens in any way, make sure to give this smoothie a fun name.

I recently had the honor of joining SheKnows media at the BlogHer 18 Health Conference in New York City’s beautiful Tribeca. I’ve made a conscious effort to tuck away and pull from the powerful words spoken by the organizers of The Women’s March, Chelsea Clinton, the journalists from The New York Times who exposed Harvey Weinstein and more inspirational women. I heard from women who are fighting and overcoming various health battles, breaking down stigmas and creating greater awareness of often misunderstood health conditions. We also had the chance to connect with companies creating cutting-edge responses to some of the most complex and pressing problems of our time.

According to the CDC, on average, 115 Americans die every single day from opioid overdose – and in 2016, an estimated 3 million surgery patients became long-term opioid users. Did you know that women are prescribed twice as many opioid prescriptions as men? Surgery has become an inadvertent gateway to opioid addiction with nearly 1 in 15 patients becoming drug dependent following a surgery. Bottles of unused opioid prescriptions are sitting idle in medicine cabinets. A recent report found that 13 percent of middle-aged women use opioids three to six months post-operation, placing them at significant risk for dependence and misuse. In addition, middle-aged women are most at risk of death from opioid overdose, with women ages 40-59 getting opioid prescriptions more than any other group.

As a former public health researcher with a background in addiction research and harm-reduction, having an intimate look into Pacira’s surgeon-lead panel at BlogHer 18 Health was promising – because there are safe and effective non-opioid options available. Pacira hopes to encourage patients and patient advocates to be empowered and proactive with providers when facing surgery.

EXPAREL®, a drug developed by Pacira is a long-acting (non-opioid) numbing medication injected during surgery to control pain while limiting the need for opioids following surgery. One of the Pacira panel speakers, Dr. Gregory Greco, a board-certified plastic surgeon, explained how administering EXPAREL during surgery eliminates the need for starting opioid pain relief in the recovery room – because pain management via EXPAREL can last for days. This often eliminates or completely reduces prescriptions of opioids for post-surgical pain management.

All of the speakers, including a plastic surgeon, oral surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, along with the team running Pacira’s information booth at BlogHer18 Health, spoke of the need to be proactive and informed patients or patient-advocates in surgery consults. With the volume of opioids being prescribed post-surgery, it’s crucial to ask important questions about non-opioid options and post-surgical pain management.

According to the CDC, the number of prescription opioids sold to pharmacies, hospitals, and doctors’ offices nearly quadrupled from 1999 to 2010. And so many of us have seen the resulting devastating effects of this epidemic. We can only hope that others will follow in Pacira’s footsteps with a commitment to reduce prescriptions, exposure, dependence, and deaths due to opioids.

A few months ago, I shared a story about being intrigued by the possibilities in laser skin rejuvenation – especially as a thirties-close-out party was quickly approaching. If I could go back in time, I’d scare my younger-self into protecting my skin (especially my face!) from the sun. Since I can’t do that, I jumped at the opportunity to test out cutting-edge lasers including the Cutera excel V, Clear + Brilliant Permea, and Alex TriVantage lasers. In the hands of an expert, Jennifer MacGregor, MD at Union Square Laser Dermatology, I began laser treatments to address small facial blood vessels, sunspots, sun-damage, overall complexion improvement, brightening, plus more. Three months, and three different lasers later – I’m ready to share my results.

After my initial consult, Dr. MacGregor went after the small facial blood vessels around my nose with the Cutera excel V laser. Let’s just say, instant gratification after seeing those little squiggly red lines around my nose dissipate. The full details about this laser and consultation are in a previous story. Dr. MacGregor also treated me with two other lasers:

CLEAR + BRILLIANT PERMEA LASER:

The Clear + Brilliant Perema laser is a non-ablative laser to stimulate collagen growth and produce an overall brighter complexion, smoother texture, and even color. Often called “baby Fraxel” – this laser is super popular since it has little to no downtime. Dr.MacGregor frequently uses this laser pre-weddings and on patients requesting fantastic skin for a specific event. I had two separate appointmentsseveral weeks apart. First, a numbing cream was applied, and Dr. MacGregor went over my entire face, I found it to feel warm and not painful at all and expected to be redder than I was when the treatment was over. My skin was then treated with SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, and sunscreen before I left the office. I could have put on makeup right away but chose to hop on the subway make-up free after all of my appointments (check out a flawless cover-up immediately post-treatment here). I actually really liked the post-treatment feel of the numbing cream and slightly hot face. Call me strange, as I hear that most don’t care for the numbing cream sensation! Dr. MacGregor recommends the Clear + Brilliant three weeks before an important event – with a series of sessions based on specific need. I, however, found the sweet spot at the one-week mark. During the days-post treatment, my skin was dry and a bit rough but not peeling. If anything, I noticed the dryness around my crows-feet until I woke up to glowing skin a week after my treatments. I also appreciated that two lasers fit into each appointment. I had the Clear + Brilliant laser after the excel V laser in my second appointment, and again after the Alex laser (detailed below) in my third visit.

ALEX TRIVANTAGE LASER:

During my initial consult, Dr. MacGregor discussed the possible need for a laser stronger than the Clear + Brilliant to remove specific stubborn sun spots. After carefully examining the photos taken at the beginning of my third appointment, she lifted particular spots with the Alex TriVantage laser used to treat sun posts, freckles and age spots. She left the natural looking freckles on my nose and miraculously removed the spots that appeared in my late thirties, including pools of spots in my under eye area and several on my cheeks and cheekbones. This laser wasn’t painful, but it does require downtime to heal completely. When I left the office my sun spots were raised, swollen and angry! I noticed women on the train looking at me, and it was hard to not overshare my excitement about my laser treatments with total strangers. During the next few days, the spots became darker and more pronounced before flaking off. It looked like I had tiny flakes of mascara on parts of my face – but I went out to dinner the following day. As the spots began to lighten, I couldn’t’ believe the overall improvement in my skin.

Check out my before and after photos from October 2017 to January 2018:

To say I’m thrilled with the results is an understatement. Although it may not be evident in these concealer + foundation free photos – having the sun-spots removed under my eyes and in specific areas of my face makes me look healthier. Even with concealer, my sun-spots contributed to the look of dark circles under my eyes. I also noticed a significant improvement in my skin’s texture and complexion, as well as the lines around my eyes. I’m still the same me with much better skin!

Here’s what I learned:

Don’t Go for the Groupon Special:

These lasers require protective eye-wear, numbing cream and sometimes recovery. Some of the sunspots targeted with the powerful Alex laser were just centimeters away from my eyes. I can’t imagine undergoing medical treatments like these with anyone other than a sought-after expert. Laser treatments are not the time to go for a non-reputable bargain. Save that for a hobby class!

Choose Your Provider Wisely:

It’s important to see a highly-skilled provider to customize the right treatment plan. Dr. MacGregor closely examined the photos taken before each session in addition to my skin to tailor my treatments with specific lasers. If I went for a Clear + Brilliant only package from another provider, my outcome would not have been the same. Union Square Laser Dermatology employs the latest medical technology, including the newest lasers and energy devices catered and adjusted to each patient. Dr. MacGregor also set me on the right at-home skincare path as an essential part of the process.

Think of Your Desired Outcome:

While a trip to a posh spa may leave me feeling relaxed – a lovely-feeling facial has never provided me with any sort of lasting results. For me, lasers are effective and are a much smarter investment.

Feel free to reach out with any questions or ask them in the comments below!

Thank you to Union Square Laser Dermatology for services. Opinions, as always are my own.

Thank you, Nokia for sponsoring this post. Visit the Nokia Body+ site for more info and start the new year off right!

Sometimes, I’m team get-on-that-scale-every-single-day, and sometimes I’m more inclined to opt for a weekly weigh-in. You know what I’m never gung-ho for? That session with a gym trainer gripping those fat pincers (and my bare flesh. Gasp!) – just to have a closer look at my body composition analysis. Luckily for me, (and others who prefer to forgo fat pincers in public places) – there’s a way to keep tabs on your health and have detailed insight into accurate body composition readings in the comfort of your own home.

My husband and I have been committed to wellness, together, in this new year. And testing out the Nokia Body+ is already helping us to achieve our own personal wellness goals. It’s pretty cool that this new-to-us technology gives us a daily picture of our health, and a reminder to make solid decisions. Intrigued by the scales family-friendly design and overall intuitive technology – we’ve both felt empowered and motivated by the ability to have intimate looks into exactly what that number on the scale, at each weigh-in, is comprised of.

With a quick sync to iOS (or Android), we’re able to individually customize how we’d like to see our weight broken down. This works for large families too – by recording and tracking up to eight different users. The family-friendly design also offers a baby mode and pregnancy mode with obstetrician-reviewed advice, tips and personalized weight tracking. The Nokia Body+ measures weight trends, fat mass, water, bone muscle and body mass index (BMI). It can even tell you the local weather and track your steps if you’d like. And the Body+ syncs automatically with the Health Mate smartphone app which displays complete and comprehensive health data, including weight, activity, and more – while offering encouragement and tips to help achieve your set goals. Already using Runkeeper, MyFitness Pal or Nike + to track your goals? Body+ syncs with those too, merging fitness tracking into one spot.

After being a regular-scale user for my entire life, I definitely prefer stepping on the Body+ every day. It shows me that my gym efforts aren’t in vain – and reminds me that water-weight really is a part of the picture. Armed with new insight, I’m more committed than ever to prioritize my health and wellness, and show my two incredible kids just how strong their mom can be.

Get 10% off at the Nokia Health store through December 1, 2018here with this code: NEWYOU-1MG-WFE

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.